Ruegamer shining for Sun Devils

LOS ANGELES --- Coming out of Bishop Gorman High School, Grey Ruegamer didn't exactly have the kind of blue chip credentials one would expect for someone who is a consensus 1998 preseason All-American at center.

"We were actually watching some films of another player," Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder recalled Tuesday at the Pac-10 Conference's Media Day. "But we kept noticing Grey. I liked his aggressiveness and his size. After a while, I said, 'Who is this guy? Let's take him.'"

Upon following up, Snyder and company were dumbfounded by the schools actively recruiting the big lineman.

"It was us and Montana State," Snyder said, who has long since forgotten the name of the other player the Sun Devils were watching on film that afternoon.

Reugamer, a first team all-Pac-10 pick in 1997 for the Sun Devils, somehow had fallen through the recruiting cracks despite earning team MVP honors for a 3-6 Bishop Gorman squad his senior year.

Now Snyder believes the 6-5, 304-pound center will be playing in the NFL one day.

"He's a terrific player," Snyder said. "He reminds me of Conrad Dobler. He may not be the smoothest player out there, but he'll find a way to get the job done, whether it means grabbing somebody by the facemask or whatever. He's nasty and he loves playing the game."

Reugamer goes by the nickname, "Psycho Hog" -- not exactly the moniker one would expect for a elementary education major. But, according to Snyder, it's a perfect fit.

"He's a strange cat," Snyder said. "He's really complex. He's about 10 things. He's smart. He's mean. He's tender. He's obnoxious. He's goofy. He's 14. He's 44. Sometimes I could absolutely hit him. ... If it's raining or snowing outside, he'll intentionally not wear a coat.

"He does everything the opposite of what you would expect. One minute he'll be baking cookies for a sorority and the next he's in the office blowing a bullhorn. He definitely makes things interesting."

* PAC-10 NOTES: UCLA and Heisman Trophy candidate Cade McNown were picked to win the 1998 Pac-10 title in a pre-season poll of the media. The Bruins (284 points, 16 first place votes) narrowly edged Arizona State (281, 14 first place votes) in the closest pre-season poll in 20 years. Washington (217 votes), USC (197) and Arizona (193) rounded out the top five. Defending champ Washington State (109) was picked seventh. The bad news for the Bruins? The media poll has correctly selected the conference champion just 16 times in 37 years and only once in the last five years. ... Strongest man in the Pac-10? Washington State coach Mike Price says it probably is Cougar offensive guard Mike Sage (6-2, 318), who prepped at Chaparral High. "He squatted 765 pounds and benched 560 pounds this summer," Price said. "He's got to be the strongest guy in the Pac-10 ... if not the country." Sage set Washington State school records with both of those lifts. ... Oregon State coach Mike Riley says that Jonathan Jackson, a 6-2, 244-pound junior from Bonanza High, is the frontrunner to replace Nathan McAtee at middle linebacker for the Beavers. "He has a chance to really develop for us the next two years," Riley said. "Linebacker is the strength of our defense. We've got about five who can and will play for us and Jonathan is one of them. He could start for us."

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